Alex Megos has flashed Underground (9a) (9a) in Arco, Italy. The route was first climbed by Manfred Stuffer in 1998 and was once considered the hardest route in Italy.

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I did many trips to Arco but I was always saving this one for a potential flash try. I thought maybe I would feel ready one day. Turns out sometimes you just have to go for it! After doing "Claudio Caffè" second try this morning I thought I might as well just go for Underground today. Big thank you to @cesar_grosso for giving me perfect beta and showing me all the moves and to @dickikorb for standing in that hole to belay us. 🙏🏼 Here the last crux of the route on camera. Unfortunately we didn't film the whole send... 😔 @patagonia_climb @redbullgermany @goretexeu @tenayaclimbing @cafekraft_nuernberg @dmm_wales @sterlingrope @frictionlabs @fazabrushes #stylefirst #carrotsforpower

A post shared by Alexander Megos (@alexandermegos) on Sep 14, 2020 at 2:23pm PDT

Commenting on his ascent, Alex said: 'I did many trips to Arco but I was always saving this one for a potential flash try. I thought maybe I would feel ready one day.'

He started the day by climbing Claudio Caffè (8c+) (8c+) on his second attempt, before getting the 'perfect' beta for Underground from Cesar Grosso.

The route is the second 9a that the German superstar has done on his first attempt. In 2013, Megos onsighted Estado crítico (9a) at Siurana, Spain. Going for a slightly different approach on Underground, he got hold of all the beta he could and went for a flash instead of the onsight.

His flash of Underground tops off a superb summer for the 27-year-old. In early August, he climbed his first 9c (and the world's second) with his ascent of Bibliographie at Ceuse. A few days later, he made the second ascent of L'etrange Ivresse des Lentuers, a 9a+/9b of Adam Ondra's that has gone since 2010 without a repeat.